On June 13-15, 2012, the Fifth Dorjiev Conference, Buddhism and the Modern World [Буддизм и современный мир], was held in St Petersburg. It was dedicated to the memory of Agvan Dorjiev (1854-1938), the founder of the St Petersburg Buddhist Temple, Kun brtse chos gnas, a pre-eminent Buryat Buddhist teacher who contributed much to the cooperation between academics and Buddhist lamas.

The conference was organized by the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, RAS, the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia and  the St Petersburg Charity Foundation Society of Buryat Culture 'Aya-Ganga'. Sessions were held at the IOM RAS and the State Museum of History of Religions.

At the inauguration of the conference that took place in the Green Hall of the IOM RAS, their greetings were delivered by Dr A.O. Boronoev, Chair of Organizing Committee, Prof Dr I.F. Popova, the IOM's Director, Dr O.S. Korolyova, the deputy head of the Department of Inner Policy of the Russian President's administration, Tulgaagyn Ariunbold, the abbot of Tarvalin Monastery, Ulanbaatar, B.B. Badmaev, the abbot of the St Petersburg Buddhist Temple, Kun brtse chos gnas.

At the conference both academic scholars and traditional Buddhist teachers took part. They represented many Russian academic centers such as those of St Petersburg, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude, etc., and foreign countries such as Mongolia, Japan, Switzerland, etc. The mode of the conference allows mutually enriching and constructive dialog between bearers of Buddhist traditions and academic scholars.

Two exhibitions were prepared for the conference such as Sacred Asia, photos by the traveller V. Kipliuk, and Tibetan Manuscripts and Block Prints Kept at the IOM RAS, organized by Dr A. Zorin and A. Sizova.

After the sessions were over the participants visited the St Petersburg Buddhist Temple, Kun brtse chos gnas, where the conference was closed and its main results were summarized.

PHOTOS

Prof Dr Irina F. Popova, the IOM's Director, delivers her greeting

T. Ariunbold, the abbot of Tarvalin Monastery, Ulanbaatar, delivers his greeting. In the presidium - Dr A.O. Boronoev, Chairman of Organizing Committee, and Dr O.S. Korolyova, the deputy head of the Department of Inner Policy of the Russian President's administration

During the Plenary Session. Dr N.D. Bolsokhoeva, Ulan Ude, and Dr R.N. Krapivina, the IOM RAS

B.B. Badmaev (Geshe Jampa Donyo lama), the abbot of the St Petersburg Buddhist Temple, delivers his presentation

Prof Dr E.I. Kychanov, the IOM RAS, delivers his presentation

Participants of the conference at the St Petersburg Buddhist Temple, Kun brtse chos gnas.

The full account of the conference, by Dr J.V. Boltach, is available at the Russian version of the IOM's web site.